I’m happy to say, we’ve managed to somewhat keep up with our Author Fiesta journey. As I mentioned was up next, the month of July featured children’s author Mem Fox.

I think you will find in this post, that I repeatedly will manage to compare Mem Fox, with our previous author who we studied, Patricia Polacco. It was quite a transition for us, and the only 2 authors we have studies thus far. So my thoughts inevitably compare the two, though they are both very gifted in their own right, and have both blessed the availability of wonderful children’s literature, in their own distinct ways.

Our experience with studying Mem was completely different than our 2 months with Patricia Polacco. Reason being, they are very different in their style of writing. Each of Patricia’s stories were a good and long read. One book could take us up to 20+ minutes! But we loved the depth of the story to each one of them, and enjoyed every page immensely, both in text and illustration. Mem’s stories are very simple and very short, which was a welcome perk with July being a very busy month for us as a family. We did not manage to get EVERY one of Mem Fox’s book from the library, but certainly a good tall stack. Unlike the huddling and cuddling that took place with Patricia’s stories through the months of May and June, with Mem’s we had most story times out on our deck, and breezed through 4 or 5 at a time. It was too hot for cuddling anyway!! In addition to story time, the kids read many of the books over and over again on their own. They LOVE to read. It seems all out loud, with different books, all at the same time. But that’s ok!! As long as they keep on loving reading!

Another vast difference in these authors was the illustration work. We enjoyed Patricia Pallaco’s own unique style of her own illustration work that went with each story she wrote. The familiar style of the pictures seemed to make us feel closer to Patricia, perhaps make a better connection with her, if that makes any sense. The illustration work that went with Mem’s books were inconsistent, explained by the fact that each had a different illustrator. Being an educated illustrator myself, some of the work I really admired, and some I didn’t care as much for. For ME, the illustration work really helps is a crucial element to my connection, or lack thereof, to each story.

Nonetheless, many of Mem’s stories, like Patricia’s, had an effective message or moral of the story, in a more subtle yet right to the point way. {S}’s favorite storybook of Mem’s was The Straight Line Wonder, and it was the book he chose to do an assigned illustration of his own for. It’s a wonderful story that encourages one to follow their heart in what they love to do, or who they want to be, regardless of if doing so makes them different. In this story, a group of ‘straight line’ friends worry about one of their own, who decides he’d rather not be a straight line all of the time. He was not afraid of being different, as the following excerpt expresses:

“People will stare!” said the other straight lines. “I don’t mind” said the 1st straight line, and he kept on jumping in humps, twirling in whirls, and pointing his joints.”

Sometimes, being different makes you stand out, but that can serve to be a good thing!! Such is the case with The Straight Line Wonder, he became famous as a showman, and spent the rest of his life doing what he loved to do.

{O}’s favorites were Sophie, Wombat Divine, and Where the Giants Sleep. Yet her drawing was from the book Sleepy Bears, which was my absolute favorite. (I wish there was a link to that one on the Mem Fox web site, which seems to need updating.) To start, the illustration work, by Kerry Argent, is beautiful. Very much my style of work. But my love for this story went beyond the pictures, to the content of the story, although I do believe the illustration work drew me in deeper than might have happened otherwise. First of all, I love the whole image in real life and in this book, of the family bed. (Although it’s not something we practiced with our children, until morning anyway. lol) I just love the illustration of all of those adorable bears, under that beautiful, colorful quilt, which I want!! But this story of Mem’s is also sort of reflective of a concept I have always tried to use with my children. I have always told them to think about fun and wonderful things that they love to think about as they drift off to sleep, and they just may have wonderful dreams about the same, even beyond their imagination.

{J} especially enjoyed Wombat Divine, and also Particular Cow, (which all of the kids thought was a riot), but he did a beautiful line drawing of Time for Bed. {A} really liked her work in Hunwick’s Egg and Particular Cow, but did an amusing illustration for Boo to a Goose,…specifically for the excerpt: “Id skip across town, with my pants hanging down, but I wouldn’t say “BOO” to a goose!” If you can only imagine, you’re probably imagining correctly. She thinks that part is the funniest thing.

My least favorite book was Feathers and Fools. While I ultimately liked the ending, I just found the story a little disturbing along the way. Maybe I am alone in my surprise, but I didn’t expect such ‘bloodshed’ to be part of a children’s story book. (is it ok to critique? Too late. lol) On a more positive note, I really loved the message of Whoever You Are, confirming the truth in the fact that no matter how different each of us looks, dresses, acts, or how or where we live, we are all the same. We also all enjoyed Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. It made me want to take my kids to do some visiting at the local nursing homes. (Can you do that anymore?) My children are still saying that line from the book “A memory is as precious as gold, young man, a memory is as precious as gold”. (Isn’t that the truth!!) I might add, more wonderful illustration work in that one as well, by Julie Vivas.

As I said, Mem Fox was a great fit for our busy month of July. We enjoyed her, but was still flying high from Patricia Polacco. This month we are behind already. While we are not at all familiar with Tasha Tudor’s work, I find her life story completely fascinating!! It’s virtually a dream I could go with; living on a farm and living the simple life as she did. Although I wouldn’t insist on roughing to quite the extent she did.  I think the interesting details, simplicity and hard work ethics of her life will lend itself well to the report {A} writes on this particular author. Also, I was delighted to learn that she, like Patricia Polacco, also illustrated all of her own story books. Unfortunately, Tasha very recently past away. So her spirit truly will live on in her works now. I am very much looking forward to spending some time with my children, and a great big pile of books, that is the the work of her life. Best get to that library again, before August is over!